Wrench.



UNTTED STATES Patented December 27, 1904.

TILLIAM VAN HORN, OF PIQUA, OHIO.

WRENCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 778,814, dated December 27, 1904.

Application filed October 28,1904. Serial No. 230,415.

To r//Zl/ whom, it muy concern:

Be it known that I, TVILLIAM VAN HoRN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Piqua, in the county of Miami and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in lVrenches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention provides a wrench of unique appearance and structure of the ratchet type which can be instantly adjusted to the work and which will be effective and durable and convenient of operation.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledgel of the details of construction of the means for etfecting the result reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings.

fhile the invention may be adapted to different forms and conditions by changes in the structure and minor details without departing from the spirit or essential features thereof, still the preferred embodiment thereof is shown in the accompanying drawings, in whichE Figure 1 is a side view of a wrench embodying the invention, a portion of the head of the fixed member being' broken away to show the relation of the dog' and movable member when interlocked and occupying an adjusted position. Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the relative arrangement of the movable member and dog when disengaged.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in both views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The wrench comprises a fixed member 1 and a movable member 2. The fixed member embodies ahandle 3 and a head 4:, the latter terminating in a jaw 5. The head 4: is inclined or obliquely disposed with reference to the handle 3 and constitutes in the preferable construction an integral part thereof. A slot or opening' 6 is formed in the head and is of a size to receive the shank 7 of the movable member 2. The slot 01' opening 6 is of a length to admit of the movable member 2 having an oscillatory movement essential to admit of adjustment of the movable member to diiferent-sized objects and to provide for ratchet action when the wrench is in operation. A flat spring 8 is secured at one end to the inner side of the handle 3, and its opposite end portion passes through the slot or opening' 6 and is adapted to eXert a pressure upon the movable member to normally hold it in engagement with the cooperating dog 9. The movable member is adjustable V-in the head 4 by a sliding movement and comprises ashank'l'andjaw 10. The shank'lisofathickness oorresponding to the width of the opening 6, so as to prevent any appreciable lateral play of the movable member. The edge of the shank 7, facing away from the handle 3, is toothed, as indicated at 11.

The dog 9 is pivotally connected to the head a at a point between its ends, as shown at 12, and its inner end is toothed along the edge facing the shank 7, as indicated at 13, and its outer end is curved away from said shank, as indicated at 14:. The head 4 and central portion of the dog 9 are provided with semieircular enlargements which are apertured to receive the pivot-fastening 12. The outer wall of the slot or opening 6` is recessed to receive the inner end of the dog 9, as shown at 15, and shoulders 16 and 17 are formed at opposite ends of the recess 15 for respectively the inner end and the semicircular enlargement of the dog 9 to abut against, so as to sustain the pulling strain upon the movable member when the wrench is in operation, thereby releasing the pivot-fastening 12 and materially increasing the life of the tool.

VVhen the wrench is ad justed to fit a piece of work or the parts ocoupy a normal position, the movable member and cooperating parts appear as illustrated in Fig. 1. When it is required to adjust the wrench, the movable member is relatively inclined, as shown in Fig. 2, and the rear end of the dog 9 is pressed upon to throw the teeth 13 out of engagement with the teeth 11, Vthereby admitting of sliding the member 2 either inward or outward, according as the distance between the jaws is to be decreased or increased to conform to the size of the object to be gripped. Upon releasing the movable member the IOO spring 8 Will carry it toward the outer end of the slot 6 and cause the teeth 11 to interlock With the teeth 13. The pivotal mounting of the dog 9 enables it to move With the member 2 in the ratchet action of the tool When in operation. The inner end of the dogI 9, as Well as the shoulder 16, is formed on the arc of a circle concentric With the pivot-fastening 12, and the shoulder 17 and abutting part are similarly formed concentric With the pivotfastening 12, Whereby contact is preserved between the shoulders 16 and 17 and subjacent portions of the dog 9 at all times during the vibrator-y movement of the dog incident to the ratchet action of the movable member 2.

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed as new is- 1. .A wrench comprising a fixed member having at on'e end an obliquely-disposed head terininating in a jaw and provided With a slot, a movable member com prising a shank and jaw, said shank being slidably mounted in the slot of said oblique head and having teeth along its outer edge, a spring' exerting an outWard pressure upon said movable member, and a dog pivoted to the aforesaid head and arranged at the outer end of the slot thereof and adapted to interlock With the teeth of the movable member and hold it in an adjusted position, substantially as set forth.

2. A Wreneheomprisinga fixed member consisting of a handle and an oblique head at one end thereof, said head being formed With a slot and a recess in the outer Wall of said slot at the rear end thereof, a movable member comprising a jaw and shank, the latter being slidably mounted in the slot of said oblique head and having its outer edge toothed, a spring' secured to the fixed member and exerting` an outivard pressure upon the movable member, and a dog pivoted to said oblique head. and having its rear end curved and its inner end seated in the a'forementioned recess and abutting against the ends thereof to relieve the pivot-fastening of strain When the tool is in operation, substantiall'v as set forth.

In testimony Whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

VVILLIAM VAN HORN. [L s] VVitnesses:

C. B. JAMIsoN, FLonnNon C. HUN'rmn. 

